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Buxar: Farmers demanding compensation beaten by police on terrace

In Buxar district of Bihar on March 20, chaos erupted as villagers protested against the construction of a thermal power plant in Chausa

By Ground report 21 Mar 2024

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Buxar: Farmers demanding compensation beaten by police on terrace

In Buxar district of Bihar on March 20, chaos erupted as villagers protested against the construction of a thermal power plant in Chausa for 11 consecutive days and their primary demand was fair compensation for the land acquired for the power plant.

Farmers protest land acquisition demand

However, the situation escalated when some individuals fired shots in the air in front of the police, leading to a chaotic atmosphere. Allegations arose that protesting farmers threw stones at the police, prompting the authorities to resort to lathi charges to disperse the crowd.

The clash intensified as angry farmers clashed with the police near the main gate of the under-construction Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam’s 1,320 MW coal power plant, valued at Rs 11,000 crore, in Chausa block.

The entire matter relates to land acquisition. Since October 17, 2022, farmers have been protesting outside the Chausa Thermal Power Plant, demanding compensation at the current market price. The SJVN (Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam) Company is constructing the thermal power plant and requires about 225 acres of land for this purpose. This scheme impacts approximately 309 farmers from around 20 villages.

Demand land compensation protest

"Farmers, including women, have been staging a peaceful dharna near the gate of the under-construction power plant since the past 11 days demanding compensation for land acquisition. But on Wednesday afternoon, when we refused to end our protest, police used force and lathi-charge to disperse us. After that the protesting farmers clashed with police," a farmer, Ranjeet Tiwari, told Newsclick.

The farmers' demands revolved around fair compensation for land acquisition, including job opportunities for affected families. Chausa Thermal Plant is set to produce 1320 MW of electricity, and authorities are taking 1058 acres of land from more than a dozen villages for this project. The farmers are demanding a job for one family member and appropriate compensation in exchange for the land.

Allegedly, during a protest last year, farmers ignited a fire within the plant leading to a devastating loss of Rs 25 crore. Following a complaint by the company, the High Court acknowledged the issue and instructed the district administration to facilitate unhindered plant construction. In addition, the court advised for coordination efforts with the farmers concerning this matter.

In response to this incident, farmer organizations have expressed strong protests. The political situation has also heated up, especially amid ongoing elections. The General Secretary of Bihar Rajya Kisan Sabha, Ashok Prasad Singh, announced plans for a protest on March 23, Shaheed Bhagat Singh's Martyrdom Day.

Farmers will show their discontent by garlanding Sardar Bhagat Singh's memorial, vowing to intensify their movement. They demand immediate action against police officers responsible for the violence, compensation for the injured, and fair land compensation for affected farmers. Otherwise, they warn of escalating tensions and continued protests.

Police claim farmer attack

Dheeraj Kumar, a local police officer, stated that during the protest, farmers attacked the police team and caused damage to several police vehicles. "In response to this situation, we have increased security measures around the power plant," he mentioned.

The 1,320 MW power plant, featuring two units of 660 MW each, is currently under construction by SJVN Thermal Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam, spanning across 1,283 acres of land.

As per officials from the state energy department, the completion of the second unit marks the largest project undertaken by the Centre. Construction is slated for completion by early next year, with trial operations expected in February, followed by full-scale operations.

The project, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 9, 2019, incorporates greenfield supercritical thermal power technology, requiring an estimated investment of approximately Rs 11,000 crore.